Imprinted Evidence
by chugokugogirl
Summary: Another AU of Takaba and Asami's life before they meet and after they meet
1. Chapter 1

Prologue - Scar Evidence

Warnings: unedited, abuse, OC, OOC, AU

Disclaimer: viewfinder and its characters belong to Yamane Ayano

A/N: I've been in this dark mood lately and this idea just wouldn't leave my head.

* * *

_First verse: The green bird flies over mountains and streams, calms madness._

_Second verse: The tune of evening penetrates through mist, calms disarray._

_Third verse: The sound from the jade flute carries the soul, calms sadness._

_Fourth verse: Petals blown away by the wind, calms turmoil_

_Final verse: The fertility of human hearts, rages emotions._

_Clouds emerge from the waters, hiding all secrets._

_Look at the many stories in this world._

_The most enchanting evidence of existence._

**Prologue - Scar Evidence**

Second wife, former mistress; imprisoned in the comfort of her own home, alone with only one window beside an ancient plum tree.

Taken away from her homeland, her father gave her up as a gift to bring prosperity for his business. A dance and a song, a poem and a bow, and the receiver immediately became intrigued with her, even though he already possesses a wife and a son.

She saw the look of anger, frustration, and jealousy in the eyes of the first wife, but her new husband didn't see it.

Soon, the first wife died while she herself gave birth to a girl, then later, another girl, and then another. She gave birth to three daughters but not a single son; losing faith in her, her husband cast her away in favor for another woman, who gave him a second son; another possible male heir.

Her loneliness did not go unnoticed. Her cold husband's most trusted friend stretched out his hands and led her out once again onto the shaded grass formed by the mythical plum tree, and soon, she conceived with a child that did not belong to her husband. Her husband can have as many partners as he desires, but she could not. But since her husband no longer sees her, she was able to carry the child in her stomach in secret. After nine months in the darkness, she gave birth to the child. It was finally a son; a son she could not keep. So with a scalding iron, she branded the mark of a circle – for unity – onto his new, delicate skin before sending him away, hoping their paths would cross again.

* * *

"Where is she?" a deep baritone voice boomed out and shook the window panes around the room as the men assembled. This man wields eyes that perhaps once belonged to an ancient beast. The intimidating and powerful gazes could plunge anyone down onto their knees within seconds. His bludgeoning words crushed all and helped none. The overwhelming pressure and the heavy core of gravity within this one man had made him into a powerful young leader whom everyone would submit to.

"Please forgive me master we were too late. It seems the traitor swore everyone involved into secrecy…however, we did manage to catch him sir, he is being held in the basement" a subordinate reported with his waist bent at an exact ninety degree angle, and his eyes – deep brown eyes – were glued to the wide Persian rug stretched throughout the chamber.

"Where did the bitch go?" the master asked, not even paying attention to the minor details.

"Sir…" the subordinate began but his confidence wavered, for this truth may be the last he will ever tell. "According to a woman who claims to be a midwife, she said the lady had just given birth only hours ago. It seems the lady predicted our arrival and ran away with the newborn as soon as the birthing ended."

The young master strolled towards the windows – draped with deep, dark crimson velvet – and sighed. He perhaps knew all this time. His woman escaped him for an insignificant other. And this insignificant other was none other than the man he trusted his back with.

Breaking the silence in the room and his train of thoughts, two people came rushing into the dimly lit chamber. With unbuttoned shits and untied shoes, the two new arrivals immediately ran right up to the man they claimed as their god and fell onto their knees, with their foreheads pressed deep into the delicately patterned rug meant for the worshipping of gods. But the two didn't seem like they were praying to their god. The heavy gasping of breath and the untidy appearance made them seem like they are currently trying to plead for mercy.

The young master slowly turned around to look upon his two newest guests. On the floor – completely submitted to him – was another man about the same age as he was and beside him was a classy woman in her late fifties downing a beautiful European black dress, with her hair simply – but elegantly – held together by an oriental hairpin, shaped in the form of a flower.

"Master, I have realize Fusao's act was clearly an act of treason, but seeing that you, I and Fusao have been friends ever since childhood, please spare my brother his life" the man on the floor begged as he grind his forehead further into the historic rug.

"Sir" the woman's desperate pleads tried reaching out to the man chiseled out of stone. "Please look at all the good Fusao has done for you in all these years and pardon this one mistake. My husband passed early and only left me with these two boys. They are all that I have left. Even though what Fusao did was absolutely unforgivable, he was still someone who always stood beside you –" Her hysterical voice was high enough to reach the gods siting in heaven, but the trembling mother's voice died on her tongue when the cold man in front of her growled.

"Humph, he always stood beside me, he stood so close to me…so close to my open back for him to stab it" the young master venomously spat out. "To think the two of you actually had the nerves to come here and plead for mercy. Fusao was close to me like a brother, for him to defy me to this extant, to betray me to this extant…when did Fusao grow to become so audacious?" he laughed to himself, however, the dryness in his voice caused the thunders of heaven to clash with the earth; making its way down from above to warn humans of their sins.

"Humph, even if I killed him a thousand times, this anger and this hatred I feel inside of me will not soothe away" he growled.

"Please forgive me sir for not being able to properly raise my child, but he is a young man, and so are you sir. And you should know better than anyone the raging desire a man gets when they see someone they want. This word "emotion" is something nobody can control. Sir, you are still young yourself, is it not true that you too are unable to restrain your emotions?" the women cried out.

"How dare you…" the young master guttural voice grunted out. He began to open his mouth to spew his bashing words at the mother and son in front of him but decided to swallow them and sighed instead. "Seeing how your family has been close to mine for generations, I will not convict you two of the same crime. I will allow you two to see him one last time, but if you want me to spare him? Stop praying."

"What if we get him to reveal the location of the lady and her newborn?" the mother tried once again.

"Humph, It seems I know about your son more than you madam. Even if I were to tear of every limb on his body, even if the blade was pressed to his throat, he would not reveal their location. That stubbornness, that pure flame, kindled by that invisible sun living inside of him, will really be missed…and my wife…"he chuckled.

Suddenly, the doors flew open once again and another man came charging in. "Sir! The lady returned!"

The master's expression darkened, but he still wore a grin on his face. "My dear, dear wife…will also be missed…"

* * *

A young woman sat by the window, looking at the kids running around in the garden. Her dark chocolate brown hair draped all the way down to the floor, as she entwined her delicate fingers in the stem of a hanakisoi from the gardens. Her kimono – decorated with butterflies and bloody spider lilies – adorns her beautiful porcelain body while her legs slipped out from underneath the expensive fabric; just enough to induce lust in every man sinned with sex.

Taking a look up at the sky, she notices the sun beginning to fall into the mountains. The woman opened the windows in her room and a rush of summer's warm breeze and soft petals caressed her round Asian face. Opening her phoenix shaped eyes once more, she leaned forward and called out "Akihito, Akihito…"

A young boy, no more than perhaps five or six years old looked up at his mother with light auburn eyes. The child had dark chocolate brown hair just like his mother, creamy white skin just like his mother, and he will be just as seductive as his mother in a few years. But he did not look like his mother.

"I want to play for just a few more minutes! Ok?" Akihito shouted back.

"Akihito, if you don't come up now, I'm going to eat all of your dinner!" the young woman threatened playfully.

The small boy's eyes widened at those words. He immediately dropped the rubber ball in his hands and ran inside. Within seconds, the young woman could hear her little monster's small feet ferociously running towards their shared room.

"Mama! You're mean!" Akihito cried out as he bent over to try and catch his breath.

"You've been playing all day you little rascal. It's almost time for you to go to bed." The mother responded as she ruffled through her cute son's hair. "You're covered in dirt, go take a bath first."

Akihito blew a raspberry at his mother and ran towards the bath. The young woman snickered at her son's puerile behavior as she sat down in front of her make-up table. Akihito slowly poked his head out from the bathroom doorway just enough so that he could see his mother prepare. "Mama? Are you going again tonight?" he asked.

The women turned around to face the young face filled with worry and uncertainty. "I have to Akihito; just go to sleep without me."  
"Why don't you just tell them no?" the child asked.

The women turned her attention back to her appearance in the mirror. "I tried, but if we want to survive, I have to do this…just wait a little longer Akihito, soon I will get both of us out of here and we'll start our lives anew."

The young child hesitated a little. He wanted to say more, but knew he didn't have the power to help. Without saying another word, the little pup nodded and slipped back into the bathroom. Akihito knew what his mother did was not pleasant, but he was still too young to be heard; however, he was not too young to understand. Akihito understood that whatever his mother did for the two of them always ends up with her covered in wounds. Be it cuts or bruises, when she comes back in the morning, the first aid kit will always be emptied.

The client, as the owner of the brothel introduced, was of up most importance and she should prepare herself accordingly. Akihito was still a young child but was a useful errand boy; however, once he grows up, he too, will probably be put out front too for some sick old bastards. Children grow up so quickly, which is exactly why she needed to get them out of this hell hole as soon as possible. She was already an adult so she understands how this world rotates, but her Akihito is still a stupid, clueless, sweet little boy, and this sweetness was something she wanted to preserve in him.

Brushing the blush over her cheeks, and matching the color of her lipstick to the color of her pink nipples, the woman did one final check on her hair before she stood up and left the room. This client was new, so she cannot use any gift accessories she has received from her regulars to help her improve her image. For the owner to use her "don't mess this up slut or I'll sell you off" voice, the women knew she couldn't afford to misbehave this time. She and Akihito has been through a lot to obtain this current peace they have, and just a little more, the two of them would be free.

The brothel's corridors smelled of urine. The wooden boards creaked with each step, but the gaps in the flooring made a nice nest for cockroaches, who probably started their life there even before this place became a brothel. This wasn't the most glamorous whore house in Japan, which is why it was so easy to leave. However, life as a prostituted was still better compared to her previous life. The man she was with could not fit her whole in the palms of his hands, but he refused to scatter her, so she turned herself into sand and slipped away from his grasps – but life really is the greatest hoax ever.

_There really was no greater hoax _

The rusted hinges forced its ways apart and revealed a much more tasteful performance hall. Gently closing the decaying door, the woman smoothly walked onto the stage prepared for her. This was how all the girls worked. A performance on stage, and if the client clapped, they would not get beaten…but fucked and paid. This whore house was a former gidayu theatre and keeping in touch with the historical traditions, the girls' performances must be able to touch the souls of the men who came to see them.

With the instrument –washed and tuned – placed off to the side, just waiting for her experienced hands to pluck away at the strings, the woman noticed the chilling silence in the audience. Lifting her head up, she notices not a single soul possessed the chairs. But she still felt eyes on her, evaluating her.

Picking up the instrument, she sat down on the mat placed for her on the stage and began to pluck the stings to make harmonious music. Melodies of undying love on Earth quickly covered every inch of the empty audience. A song of a beautiful, but non-existent love was her favourite. A love that can only be part if the earth has stopped rotating, if the season's has stopped changing, if time no long exists, was for the dreamers who lived on Earth; for those who believed that a human's heart was warm, a human's tears are for crying; and for those who believed plum blossoms are truly intoxicating.

As the final pitch stretched high into the ceiling, the woman fluttered her eyes as she felt her emotions starting to well up in her eyes.

_Love is her greatest hoax. _

Putting down the wooden instrument, the woman gathered her kimono and stood up. She faced the empty seats, waiting for her client's approval or disapproval, but there wasn't even a pint of sound. She felt her nerves jingle as the silence continued. The performance was perfect. The words were beautiful, every pitch was hit right on target, and that melody was her best. She kept her head low, but held it high enough for her to glance around the room. There were definitely eyes, she could feel the strong gazes piercing at her, but there was no human presence.

The young woman sighed and began backing away from the stage until she heard the light flick of a lighter being lit. Next, she heard footsteps. The click clacking sound of the shoes echoed louder than her voice as they came closer and closer. The performance hall was quite dark, but soon, a gray smoke emerged from the darkness. The smoke swayed from side to side as a gentle gust of wind made its way inside the brothel. As another few click clacks passed by, the young woman began to see the fiery orange and yellow end of the cigarette, then the whites of the cancer stick and finally, the owner consuming those toxic chemicals.

_Life – the greatest hoax…_

That pair of fierce, burning, amber eyes diminished the light of the flames. The large body scattered ever dead soul in the house, and the heavy gravity from this man's body crushed the ceiling down right over their heads. One look at his face was all it took to dissolve all of her hopes and ambitions, just like water in a hot wok. She narrowed her eyes and frowned at the elder man in front of her. She could feel her feet growing cold, and her lips quiver, but she held her gaze, high and proud as she looked at the creature in front of her, who looked dominant and godly. And with the entrance of the master, the once hollow chamber soon began to fill with men in every corner, rendering escape impossible.

The old man glanced up and down the young woman and licked his lips moist. "When I told your so-called parents to sell their child to pay off their debt with me, I meant for them to sell _you_ to me…who knew that they actually gave you up to this shit house of a brothel" the beast spoke as he threw a wad of spit towards a spider's nest.

"Asami Raiju you old bastard…what are you doing here?" the woman's acrimonious tone forced its way out of her throat.

Asami Raiju – Raiju, the beast send down by a bolt of lightly by the god of thunder, Raijin himself – possessed an existence large…large and deadly, to the point that you cannot even fit him completely in your frames. His presence was thunderous, his pressure was heavy enough to stop breaths, and his eyes…belonged to the thunder beast that descended down onto Earth eons ago.

The monstrous beast took a long drag of the cigarette clipped between his fingers and let out a breath of smoke. "I have come to collect you."

"What am I? Something you have conquered? Something you can do whatever to, whenever you please?" she asked.

"Yes, and I want that understood" Asami Raiju replied.

"You can dream all you want, but my body will never be your temple, I would rather bite off my tongue" the woman fought back.

Ahhh…there it is, that power and vigour. Takaba Yayoi, a woman like no others, a rare creature unlike any others. The thunder beast chuckled at the bravado the young woman was putting up. This world is filled with so many differences, and so much specificity. However, nobody fuelled his inner sun like this proud bitch whom has the ability to hold her gaze against his.

Asami Raiju smirked. He still has the advantage, and he always will. "You have a kid following you around now. I'm guessing his father is one of your clients? Wouldn't he miss you?"

"If I am taken away, what are the chances I'll see him again?" Yayoi argued.

_Amusing…there really isn't a creature more amusing than she._

"The kid is still a brat, but he has your blood in him doesn't he? I'm sure in a few years he'll be just as sensual as you are…"

"Then with my own hands, I will end him, along with myself…" Yayoi immediately interjected with hateful emotions.

Asami Raiju chuckled at the determination and turned towards a young man standing beside him who seemed several years younger than Yayoi. "Ryuichi, you can learn from this woman…but you also must learn that we cannot allow_anything_…" The thunder beast emphasized as he turned his gaze back to Yayoi, "…_anyone_ to defy us like she is right now." The young man named Ryuichi nodded and continued to keep his eyes on the jewel in front of his eyes. He can understand why his father would want a woman like her, and he can't deny the attraction he felt when he first laid eyes on her also. She is lovely. She could have been Helen of troy, or perhaps Aphrodite, or even Cleopatra.

His father has lovers, mistresses and wives. As soon as the man found a new, young bird, he'll toss out the old and cage the new. That's just how he is, Raiju sees one, loves one, but this was also a tactic to keep power, and Asami Ryuichi does not feel a pint of pity towards any of them; including the one in front of him right now.

"Bind her and make sure she doesn't "bite her tongue" and bring her to the car. Drag her by the hair if you have to." The thunder beast ordered.

As soon as the order came out, large men around the room immediately encircled the small body standing on the stage and restrained her, gagging her mouth and binding her hands to prevent any unnecessary actions.

Yayoi screamed into the dry cloth being forced into her mouth, but no one came to her rescue. Her muffled screams simply bounced off of the yellowing walls and right back into her ears. She was one of the brothel's best, the only reason the owner was not here to stop this madness was because Asami Raiju has most likely paid for her.

Tears soiled her pretty face as she struggled desperately out of her bonds. She clawed at the men around her and managed to tear open a few raw fleshes, but it wasn't enough. She fought with all the strength she has stored up; she threw her arms and hands wildly in the air, letting the pieces of skin and blood fly across the room. She tried to reach for a gun, but these men were fast and well prepared.

"Beat her" came the sudden harsh order and soon, loud smacks echoed throughout the empty room as large, iron-like hands rained down on her. She bit hard into her gag, hard enough to make her gums cry blood, but the monster in front of her just looked down at her, taking endless drags of that god dammed cigarette.

The man raised a hand in the air and all things living creased to move. "Are you ready to behave yet?" he asked.

Yayoi turned her face upwards to look at the storm above her head and glared. Asami Raiju narrowed his eyes in displeasure and waved his hand around to give the signal to continue. The screams of a sweet creature was the best music to his ears. That useless poem or song about perfect love from before was his poison. He had to admit though, the performance was spectacular, but the meaning behind it was disgusting.

Blood dyed the whites of her eyes pink and the white cloth in her mouth began to color too. Even as her nails parted from her flesh, Yayoi continued to endure the pain. If this abuse continues for a few more seconds, she would die, and nothing would please her more.

"Father, she is rather fragile looking; physically. If you continue, it'll be a corpse you'll be dragging home" Asami Ryuichi stepped in.

The thunder beast gave a quick nod of approval. His son was right, his son was always logical and it pleased him to know that he had brought up someone suitable to succeed him one day. Once Takaba Yayoi was in his hands, he can take his time to break her defiance towards him slowly and pleasurably.

"We're leaving, get her in the car, and use whatever it takes."

Yayoi kicked and screamed her voice hoarse as she was dragged by the hair towards the door leading to her prison. The men around her didn't have an ounce of mercy or pity in their blood; they would kick her and hit her to still her actions, but Yayoi continued to fight, harder and harder as she closed the distance between her and the black cars waiting outside.

Three large men tried to force her into the car but none succeed. Yayoi tried lunging out, but was repeated stuffed back inside the smoked filled car. Suddenly, a hand out of nowhere pushed her inside and the doors slammed shut.

Asami Ryuichi looked thought the car window at the young woman with ice cold eyes. "Just give up and obey. Life will be easier on you."

"Ryuichi, did you leave some money for that brat to survive on his own?" Asami Raiju asked.

"Yes I did - You don't want to take the kid with us?" Asami Ryuichi asked.

"I have no use for a brat who isn't even of age."

A wave of the hand and each and every man got into their cars and followed behind their master.

* * *

Akihito jumped out of the bathroom and helped himself to the food placed on the table. His mother managed to get something good today – sushi with fatty tuna. Looking around, he noticed his mother was nowhere in sight, which meant she was humoring a stranger for the night and probably won't be back until morning. That's how he was born his mother had told him before. She wasn't careful and she got pregnant.  
There were only four sushis on the plate and Akihito quickly gobbled up two, leaving two for his precious mother later. It has always been just the two of them; His mother was his world.

A knock suddenly penetrated the room and Akihito got up to answer the door. The moment the door opened up a bit, the person on the other side pushed her way inside. The middle aged woman standing in front of him is the owner of this place, he knew that. But the old witch never came when his mother wasn't around which made Akihito curious.

The woman, without saying even a single word or greeting, pulled out a small brown package from her kimono sleeves and handed it to him. The brown package was thick, and heavy. There was neither a sender nor postage on the front. But living in a brothel – his lineage a mystery – he shouldn't be able to get mail.

"That's for you kid. Your mother has been bought and her new owner was kind enough to provide you with that huge amount."

The words first hit Akihito like weak electric bolts. "What…" he muttered, and then, he felt a pint of fear began to brew in the core of his stomach as the words began to sink into his head. The package slid out of Akihito's small hands and the paper bills fell down onto the floor in a clump. Akihito stared at the woman in disbelief, his body shaking with ice-cold fear, and his moist eyes trembling with disbelief.

"Wha…What do you mean?" He whispered, unable to believe what the woman was telling him.

The owner let out an exasperated sigh and continued to look at the boy. "She's gone kid. You're on your own."

"_Who_!" Akihito shouted out desperately as tears started streaming down his young face.

"I can't tell you, and even if I did, you can't do anything about it…nobody can." The owner said softly as she watched the young child fall to his knees.

Akihito's legs turned to jelly as he crawled over to the owner. He could feel his whole body going numb. "No! No! Tell me!" Akihito cried out as he hysterically clung onto the owner's kimono.

"I already told you I can't…" the woman said again as she tried to dislodge the small boy off of her.

"_No_! _You have to tell me_! Please tell me who they are, I have to get my mama back!" Akihito shouted as his desperate pleas became hysterical sobs.

The owner pushed the shaking boy back and pulled away; distancing herself from the kid whose face was dripping with mucus. "I can't boy, I value my life too much" she said nonchalantly as she left, slamming the door behind her.

Akihito sat on the floor alone, staring into white as he tried to process what has happened, what just happened, and what will happen over and over again in his head.

_I want to be the one to watch every sunrise with you until the sunset of your life._

_I am the only one who understands your tears of unspoken happiness and smile of silent pain_

_The beauty of imperfection is what keeps us attached, no excuses, no lies and no broken promises._

_- Unknown_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: viewfinder and its characters belong to yamane ayano

Warnings: au, oc, ooc, abuse, unedited

Note: the current and/or previous mayor(s) of Yokohama are nothing like I have described. I mean no disrespect to them

**Chapter 1 - Stolen Evidence**

Akihito stood in the far corner of the room, glaring and snarling at the man in front of him.

"Come on, give it up and come here already, the customers are waiting"

The young boy, who had just recently turned thirteen, was now finally allowed (forced) to serve at the front of the brothel. It wasn't anything too much, just serving some drinks, sitting in the laps of those disgusting old men and whispering words of lust and envy into their sagging ears. It was utterly revolting, but if he didn't make money, he would be beaten, or perhaps even killed for being non-profitable. Just having a cute face won't keep him alive at this whore house. If he does not serve, he has no purpose, and the owner does not keep things with no purposes. This is his fight for survival, and Akihito never went down without a fight.

The man moved stealthily around him. Akihito was cornered, all that's left was the leap to kill the prey. The man slowly brought up both of his hands, preparing to lung forward. "Come on…" he muttered silently to himself, and the moment the man lunged forward screaming, Akihito swiftly brought his knees up and nailed the man right in the balls. The man cried out in pain, cupping his privates and Akihito proceeded to push the bastard over, causing the giant to hit his head against the wall. The man cried out in pain but recovered fast and immediately went for Akihito's thin neck.

"You brat!" the man screamed as he squeezed the air out of the boy.

Akihito clawed at the hand threatening to take his life away, leaving red, bloody marks down that dirty, hairy arm, but another kick to the jewels sent the man plummeting down to the ground and Akihito took this opportunity to run out the back.

The boy ran to his usual hiding spot to escape from his predators who will eventually be bringing him pain later. He jumped and grabbed onto the lowest branch of the plum tree located near the back of the whore house and started climbing to the top with great swiftness. _Like a jungle cat _he thought to himself. Once at the top, Akihito looked down to see several men, holding long wooden sticks dyed with the color of dried up blood, shouting out orders to capture him. Those idiots, they never search for anything above their line of sight. Akihito snorted at the pigs below him and relaxed into the tree.

Despite being male (the only male), he was wildly popular within the brothel. Those sleazy old men liked them "wild and feisty...and young" Obedient girls were getting old it seems. He was thirteen this year, and those old bastards had already started touching him through his clothes. It won't be long before he'll have to start selling himself like the rest of the girls; or perhaps that greedy bitch of an owner will force him into prostitution earlier than expected. Akihito sighed at the thought. He didn't want to do it. These customers were sadists, they loved to see the girls cry and beg and bleed. They loved to whip the girls and see them scream out in pain for their own sick enjoyment; however, it was still unsatisfying for them because girls were too fragile and didn't last long enough for them to enjoy the cries; however, he was different, he was a lot sturdier. He was a man, a little one, but never less, a man, so he can last a lot longer. God, he can already see what's going to happen to him. His first man will probably not even prepare him. These men found more enjoyment fucking a dry hole than a wet one. They would force girls to take pills that prevent lubrication so the friction during the fucking would be a lot more exciting. His first bastard will most likely just force that old, withered penis into him and pound into him until his ass is ripped apart…and then he'll he thrown out because his ass can't be used anymore. No, that wasn't going to happen. He was thirteen now, he was more than capable of living by himself. Nowadays, there are tons of middle school kids that are his age living by alone, so why can't he? And unlike those normal thirteen year olds out on the streets, he had a source of income, which reminds him, his partners are probably waiting for him outside.

The tree he was currently in right now wasn't just a great hiding spot, but it was also a bridge that led him to the outside world. The tree was old so it stood over the walls of the whore house and the branches branched out, leading to a blind spot outside.

Akihito looked up at the sky and the clouds of Yokohama and let out a content sigh. The sky was unusually blue today and the clouds were so close to humanity he actually tried reaching out to grab some of that soft cotton. The sight of freedom can really take his breath away. Akihito loved to preserve moments, so with his own money (from his side business), he had started up quite the little camera collection. Pulling out a red, miniature camera out of his pants pocket, Akihito pointed it up at the sky and snapped a picture. _Someday, I'll be flying in that sky, flying far away, as far as possible._ And without another thought, he swung from branch to branch and jumped down onto the hard pavement outside.

* * *

The hushed whistling of the wind and the deadly screams of the waters accompanied the tall demon wearing a man's skin as he stood beside several fresh, decomposing bodies. Grabbing for the lighter in his breast pocket, he lite the cigarette and inhaled deeply, taking in both the nicotine and the strong smell of blood into his system. There was a woman by his feet trembling uncontrollably, but the man just kept his gaze forward.

"R-Ryuichi…Ryuichi…please...please…" the woman staggered out, her voice shaking in fear.

"Please what? Spare you?" the man responded.

"Please…I love you…remember all the times we've sent together…? Let's just forget this…and go back to before…" The woman crawled closer to Asami and clung onto his pants; looking up at him with her wet eyes as she pitifully begged him.

"Love? Since when did you get such a foolish idea into your head? Your use was only in bed, and now that use is gone. You think that we've slept together a few times, that we've developed some sort of 'relationship' that I would overlook anything you would do?" Asami responded with a voice colder than ice. "I do not tolerate any sort of _scams_, whether it is from lovers, or friends; which you are neither. If they dare test me, betray me, play me…I will show no mercy."

The woman shuddered once more at the incredible chilliness she was getting from this one man, but before another word could exit her mouth, she broke down into screams and tears as two of Asami's men came to drag her away. Just a simple chin wag was enough to tell the men what he wanted accomplished.

Asami looked out at the bay and took in the city view laid out in front of him. He could still hear the distant screams for life from his latest whore, but it didn't faze him. The woman, as soon as he left her alone with his wallet, headed out to ginza and spent a total of four million yen on diamonds and gold and several bagful's of designer dresses and shoes. When he questioned her, the gold digger had the nerve to say he should spoil his woman more often. He cannot allow anyone to think they can get away with anything if they are in his favor. But perhaps there was one; only one, a young woman from a few years back. She had truly intrigued him greatly. It wasn't love he felt for her. The feelings that bloomed in his chest were closer to adoration. That woman had him completely under her spell and truthfully speaking, Asami didn't mind it one bit. However, that woman belonged to his father, so he could not touch her, and Asami knew better then to impose on another man's property. But there truly were no others like her, and looking out at the city, he wondered if there will ever be another. Tokyo Japan, and probably the whole world itself, are now nearly filled with money loving and power grabbing sluts; male or female. Those whores would kiss any ass to get fame and money. His father had once told him the world was filled with difference and specificity, but he didn't see it.

The familiar bang of a gun snapped Asami out of his thoughts and back to the warehouse where that woman was dragged off to only moments ago.

"Should we get the usual cleaners?" a man with glass asked.

Asami gave a small nod and the man immediately pulled out his cell phone to make a call. Asami looked over at the warehouse to see a body bag being carried out. Satisfied that the task has been completed, Asami walked towards his waiting car, where the door is always held open for his convenience.

Sitting in the backseats, Asami crossed his legs as he rubbed at his temple, trying to soothe his headache. He needed to release his stress. His old whore just died, so a replacement is needed.

"Asami-sama, where would you like to go?" the glass man asked.

"Take a detour."

The glassed man nodded, knowing exactly what his boss meant. Not wasting another second, he stepped on the gas petal and they headed back to the city.

His boss needed a replacement.

* * *

"Alright, I got a target. She's sitting on the bench on her phone wearing a navy suit and black pumps" a boy whispered into his toy walky-talky.  
"Copy that" another boy from across the road responded. "The target is in sight anddddd…Go Akihito!"

From behind a tree just in front of the bench in the park, Akihito came limping out towards the woman with fake tears running down his cheeks, but the target continued to stare into her cell phone – probably waiting for her lover's message or something –completely unaware of him. Seeing that his act hasn't been noticed yet, Akihito started sobbing and limping closer towards the woman until he was sitting beside her on the bench.

"Ngh…ngh…haa…" he wheezed out between sobs.

The woman finally looked at him. _Great_.

"What's wrong?" the woman asked gently as she reached out to try and soothe the crying teen.

"Hic…hic…my sis-sister…she's got leukemia…and the doc said…she's gonna die soon…"

"Oh no…I'm so sorry…"

"Our…our dad is the only one that…that passed the bone…bone marrow test…but he refuses to save her…" Akihito lied as he sobbed even louder.

"Oh gosh…" the woman responded in disbelief, and that was when Akihito gave the signal for one of his boys to approach.

"Why won't he help?" she asked.

"H-He's always drinking…he keeps saying we are burdens and shouldn't have been born…and…and he said Asia already has too many people…so no one would care if a few died…"

The woman was trapped. She has completely fallen for the scam when she pulled Akihito close to her bosom and hugged him tightly. Playing with a person's compassion, especially a woman's is where he and his boys make the big bucks.

Women were definitely their larger targets. They were easier to trick and they always carried more money in their wallets because shopping was a forte. If there was no cash, cracking into a credit card wasn't hard either. This woman was their fourth target today and that certainly met their quota.

Seeing that his friend was closing in on the woman's unattended purse, Akihito pulled the woman even closer to him and sobbed louder into her bosom. Only when his friend tucked the cards and cash into his pockets, did Akihito let go.

"Thank you ma'am…I feel much better now. I'm glad there are still people who care like you…" Akihito sniffed, still continuing his act.

"Oh honey, of course, but you be sure to report this to the police, it probably won't be safe for you to stay with that father of yours any longer" the woman suggested as she patted his head.

"I will thanks" Akihito beamed out a smile as he wiped away the fake snot and tears ruining his face. The lady gave him a quick peck on the head and they bid their farewells.

Not wasting any more time, Akihito quickly rounded a corner and into a narrow alley to meet up with his partners in crime.

"Did we make big today?" he asked

"¥83,540" a young teen with long black hair gloated as he held out the thick wad of cash in his hand and waved it in front of his two friends."

"And that's not including all the credit cards we took" the other teen with bleached golden-brown hair cheered.

"So that's ¥28,000 for each of us eh?" Akihito quickly divided the numbers. "That's great. Kou, you can finally get that purse for your girlfriend and Takato can finally get that band's new CD…"

"Yea man!" Kou screamed into the air as he raised his arm up high for a three-way high five.

The three of them met about a year ago and only started this scamming business for about half a year. Sometimes, tricks and acts don't work, but with Akihito being the master of the "pickpocketing/grab and run" school of con arts, they have made an unusually high amount of money for three thirteen year olds that it made the bank teller look at them with suspicion each time they deposit the money into their joint savings account.

The three boys would always do small illegal activities together every day and surprisingly, not a single police officer has been on their case. Every time Kou and Takato headed out, their parents would always be kept in the dark. If the mothers knew that their sons was hanging out with a beginner's male prostitute and doing illegal activities, they would probably hound Akihito to death. Beating him with their harsh words, saying he's a bad influence and crap. Akihito was a good friend. He may have a sharp tongue, but he is sharp tongued with good intentions.

"Alright" Akihito cried out cheerfully as he pocketed his share. "I gotta go guys or the head bitch is really going to give it to me."

"Just be careful Akihito" Takato said with a sense of concern in his voice. Akihito gave his friends a wave and ran off towards the red light district of the city.

The only time Akihito truly found any enjoyment in his currently, shitty life, was meeting up with his two friends twice a week. Both Kou and Takato went to school, which he didn't have the privilege of going to. But after visiting Takato's house once when his parents were out of town, one look at all the notes and textbooks had Akihito thanking the heavens he didn't need to go to school. Sure there are a lot of sex slaves or underprivileged kids who believed that school was a place for special kids, and that their only dream in life was to get an education and learn, but Akihito wasn't really one of them. Learning was definitely fun (only when he enjoyed the topic) but not when he is bombarded with a massive amount of work and memorization.

The pavement he was walking on started to glow orange from the setting sun as Akihito continued to consume himself with thoughts. He's most likely in big trouble for kneeing that man in the balls (twice) today and running off when he was supposed to work. If he was late for the evening rush, his punishment would be even more severe. But being a con artist, Akihito knew how to read people, and the simplest person he has ever read in this world would be the owner of that brothel. That bitch loved money, loved it so much; perhaps more than her own life. If someone were to throw a bag of cash down a well, she would probably climb down to fetch it. In other words, Akihito needed to pick some pockets before he heads back. There was no way a messily ¥28,000 (not even) would appease the owner even a little bit, and besides, he wanted to keep that cash for himself…he earned it with all the mucus and tears he produced in order to put up a believable show.

He needed someone big. The sun was setting fast so he can't go for multiple targets. People who own thick wallets love to show off their money by wearing tasteless brand name clothing's or driving sleek black cars, and luckily for him, there are some of those in Yokohama…_Jack pot. _Akihito grinned when he saw a Mercedes-Benz just sitting at the curb of the road, a few paces away from him, like a sleeping cat. There was a stiff looking man in a suit standing beside the car, but across from it, on the other side of the street, Akihito could see a group of men in suits chatting. There was about six of them, but of course, only the boss stood out like a sore thumb. The leader wore a scar on the right side of his face, but that didn't defy that handsome, manly face. His strong, muscular built and lean figure made Akihito jealous. He was too scrawny…but puberty hasn't arrived yet. Who knows how handsome he'll look when he starts maturing.

Akihito casually walked towards the car, close enough to see the inside before he turned a corner into an alley to wait for the big honcho himself to finish up his meeting so he could head over. Should he causally bump into the man and silently take his wallet? Or should he shove, grab, and run? Akihito checked his wrist watch and noticed it was ten to nine. He was running out of time – grab and run it was.

It was summer time; the sun had just gone down. Those suited bodyguards seemed exhausted. They looked as if they have been roasting in the heat the whole day, which meant he could easily out run them all. Besides, he was a lot younger and a lot more energetic.

Akihito watched as the men from across the road finish up their conversation and bid their farewells. This was it. Akihito felt his heart pounding so loud, he was sure the other pedestrians could hear it as well. _Just a little closer…come on… _Akihito chanted to himself as he watched the boss slowing arrive in front of his car, and just his luck, the man reached inside his suit pocket and pulled out his wallet. Akihito couldn't see it too clearly, but he could definitely see some thickness in that ox leather. The man pulled out a white business card and handed it to another man, who thanked him with a bow.

_Now!_

Akihito dashed out from his hiding spot, jumped over the hood of the car, and snatched the wallet right out of the scar-faced man's hands and dashed away like a mad man on fire. He was fast, but it seemed these bodyguards had sharp instants as they unconsciously reached out and yanked him back by the collar.

Akihito chocked, he clawed at the collar of his shirt strangling him as one of the gorilla's dragged him back towards the car.

"Fuck! Let me go!" he screamed and kicked. When he reached the car again, the goon pulled him up front so the boss could get a good look at him, and he, him. Now facing his victim eye to eye, Akihito noticed this man seemed…amused? The scar-faced man had his hands in his pants pocket, and he was smirking at him.

"'What's your name son?" the man asked.

Akihito snorted and turned away. His captor still had a grip of him and the giant wasn't gentle with his hold.

"The boss asked you a question!" his captor yelled as he shook him violently.

This is the first – _the first –_ time Akihito has been caught, and it seems he wasn't caught by just anyone, but by a yakuza.

"Takaba! Takaba Akihito!" he cried out with his eyes squeezed shut, afraid a hand was going to come down on him. But when the grip on him stilled, and the road became unusually quiet, Akihito cracked an eye open, only to see the leader staring down on him; studying him with an observant eyes.

"Takaba Akihito? That's a nice name…you got quite a special face too" the leader commented.

Fuck. Is this guy one of _those _yakuzas? Akihito cursed inwardly for his bad luck as he tightened the grip on the wallet in his hand.

"Boss, what should we do?" his captor asked, and that was when Akihito felt the hand on his shirt loosen. Not wasting an opportunity, Akihito quickly spun around and brought his knee right into his captor's groin. The large giant grunted, but recovered quickly, however, not fast enough to recapture his prey. Akihito's experience in pick pocking was legendary. And one of the first rules was, be fast on your feet, and that he was. Taking the split second of surprise he had induced in the men, Akihito got up on his feet and began running down the road like a little bunny rabbit being chased by a cheetah.

"Get him!" he heard the distant shouts, but he just kept running…regretting the fact that he had given this stranger his real name.

The men back down the streets were assembling and some even began to run after the kid, but a single command stopped them in their tracks.

"No, let him go."

"But Takeo-sama…he took your –" one of his bodyguard interjected.

"It was only ¥60,000, let him have it."

* * *

If it wasn't for the boy's pretty face, she would have long gotten her boys to kill that Akihito, but pretty much all the customers' request for the brat, and if she were to say the kid wasn't available, her money bags would right up and leave. The punk had the nerve to run off in the middle of the day yesterday, and actually came back covered in mud and sweat well after nine. She should have broken his leg to prevent him from running anywhere ever again, but who knew the brat was actually out making money for her. ¥60,000 wasn't much at all, but any money is good money.

Her preference is an obedient man, a man who would do anything she says and asks for, so she could never understand the customers who get a hard on when Takaba was snarling and biting at them. Everyone had their own taste…and so did this particular gentleman, who came knocking on her doors just now.

"I want to buy the boy"

The owner stood at the end of the room, dumbfound at the quick demand. She didn't even find a chance to properly welcome the fat man into her home and he was already quick to leave.

Across from her, sat the current mayor of Yokohama, Nakada Hayashi. The man smelled of Cuban cigars and powerful liquor. His balding gray, black hair was greasily styled back with a strong, scented hair gel. The man wore a striped suit and around him, wrapped a faux fox pelt. The fat man was short, even shorter than she was even without heels on. The large beer belly protruding out bounced up and down whenever he moved, and also his swollen lips, sucking on that large cigar and his hairy black mole located on his face were truly sickening, but the man had money. And that's all that matters.

"I'm sorry Nakada-sama, but the boy is not for sale. He's barely of age."

The mayor gave a wave of the hand, and a man carrying a brief case immediately came over. Setting the brief case down, the man opened it to reveal money, organized into lines and rows. The owner's eyes flashed open with greed, and her voice became nothing but meaningless babbles and stutters.

"Will ¥200,000,000 change your mind?" Nakada asked as he took in another long drag of his cigar.

"Ha…haha…yes! _Yes_! Of course! But I must warn you, that boy won't go without starting a war." The woman shouted gleefully as she hugged the case close to her body as if it was her own flesh and blood.

"If he didn't, I wouldn't have paid so much for him…" Nakada murmured under his breath. "Now get him in here, I'm on a tight schedule" the fat man demanded as he sucked in another mouthful of tobacco.

"Of course sir!" the hysterical woman complied. "Get Takaba Akihito into my office right away!" she shouted to her boys stationed just outside her office before giving the mayor a nervous laugh. "Sir, I must warn you though, he may be amusing at first…but after a week or so you might –"

"I don't need that money, and I rarely return anything I buy, so you can keep it" the fat man growled out.

"T-Thank you sir!" the woman bowed while still clutching the money tight against her chest. "But do be careful with that kid, I want our clients to be satisfied with their purchases."

"Feh…a few beatings should break that kid up good."

Suddenly, the door busted open and standing there, revealed Takaba Akihito, looking displeased as ever, only now, he possessed a black eye.

"What happened to his face?" the fat man asked.

"Oh god….oh my god…" the owner stressed when she saw what happed to the boy's main source of income. "What the hell did you idiots do! How many times do I have to tell you imbeciles to never hit the face! Look at what you've done!" the woman screamed at her employees before returning her attention to her client. "I am so sorry sir; the boy came home late so some punishment was in order. Please over look my employees' stupidity. The bruise will go down in a few weeks I assure you"

"Fine fine, whatever, as long as he's still entertaining, it's all good" the fat man said. Hearing the woman's high pitched voice really gave him a headache. But his new toy should be able to soothe out all of his problems tonight.

"Akihito…" the owner said as she walked towards the boy. "This man is Yokohama's mayor, Nakada Hayashi-sama. I'm sure you've seen him before. This nice man wants to adopt you Akihito. You're finally going to have a family now!" the owner coaxed in a childish tone, but Akihito wasn't buying any of it, he wasn't stupid.

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm not going to go with him" Akihito spat out as he rudely pointed his finger at the mayor, but a quick smack to his butt got him to straighten up.

"Like I said sir, he has a very sharp tongue" the owner nervously giggled, but the mayor just brushed her off.

"Son, you're coming home with me. I got dinner prepared and fresh clothes all laid out for you back at your new home in Karuizawa."

"Karuizawa!" Akihito cried out. "Shouldn't you have a house here in Yokohama? Why all the way there?"

"The house here is for work, the house there is for leisure. Now let's go, you don't need to take any of your shit with you, I'll buy you whatever you want."

"I-I…I don't want to go…" Akihito said. "I have friends here…"

"You can make new friends" the fat man lied.

"But…"

"Akihito…Nakada-sama is a very busy man, be a good boy now…" the owner tried.

As the fat man waited for the boy to make up his mind, he did not take notice to the ash that had accumulated at the end of his cigar. Only when the ash finally fell from the tip of the cigar, and onto his perfect Italian leather shoes, did his patients snap. "Grab him." And his men immediately threw the owner against the wall, knocking her unconscious, and grabbed Akihito by the arms and lifting him off of the ground.

"Let's go" Nakada said as he walked pass the boy who was screaming and kicking. Nakada threw his cigar onto the office floor and hurled a wad of gray spit onto the owner's face before exiting out of the damp room. Poor people really were just stepping stones, he thought. This smelly little whore house didn't even have air conditioning. The walls were yellow, the insects were huge, and the women were disgusting – they reeked of semen. But the boy he had just purchased was fresh. He smelled clean and he liked that. There was nothing better than fucking little boys, and he definitely got his hands on a prize. Money makes the world.

He watched as his two workers tried their best to stuff the thirteen year old into the back-seat of the car, but those little fists didn't give up. He could already imagine the boy struggling against leather bonds and heroine on his bed. Those big bright eyes would soon cloud up when he starts the drug injections. He'll make the kid lick the powder off of the floor, off of his shoes, and off of his penis. Nakada smirked at all the thoughts running through his head as he watched one of his men cover a white, damp cloth over the child's mouth. He'll tear through that asshole, he thought as he watched Akihito's eyelids starting to droop. He'll have him tied and restrained in the most awkward and painful positions, he imagined. And when the little boy's body finally fell limp, he coughed out a laugh.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: viewfinder and its characters belong to yamane ayano

**Warnings: unedited, au, oc, ooc, abuse, violence, angst, drug use, drug abuse, depression etc etc etc **

* * *

**Chapter two – Soiled Evidence**

"My god…is that a child in the trash bins?" a woman asked as she passed by the alley.

"It is! I can't believe it! That's so disgusting!" another woman cried out, and soon, a crowd gathered around the alley entrance way. The sound of muttering and gossip grew louder and louder, but that did not bother the child who was rummaging through the trash cans located behind a small restaurant. The child tossed aside bags and loose trash onto the gravel behind him, causing the pedestrians to back away, but they still remained close enough to observe his actions. The kid's head was deep inside the cans, which perked the audience's curiosity. The child looked to be rummaging for food. His skinny legs, which were sticking out of his shorts, were pretty good evidence. Heck, they can't even be called legs. They were two sticks of bones with skin wrapped around them.

It was mid-autumn, and the weather grew substantially cooler each day as time headed towards winter. But even though the crowd looked on with sympathy and pity, it still didn't make even a single one of them offer up their lunches or coats to the poor kid wearing summer's clothing searching for food in a trash can.

"Hey!" a little boy around five in the crowd called out. "You can have my orange!" he offered, but immediately got pulled away by his mother. "Don't talk to him, he's dirty!" and away they went.

After throwing away a few more trash bags out of his way, the kid finally emerged out of the can, holding a piece of yakisoba bread. The sandwich already had a few bites taken out of it, but that didn't stop the starving kid form stuffing the bread into his mouth like it was caviar.

The crowed cringed, and a few even threw up, but the kid could care less what people thought of him. The tee shirt he was wearing was a child sized shirt, but it was too large on his thin frame. His shorts were held up by a shoelace he probably found in a park or somewhere. He was wearing shoes, but they were tied to his feet so they wouldn't fall off. But the most shocking sight was how bony this kid was. He looked to be around ten or twelve, but he was too tall for that age. The kid clearly has been starving for ages, evident by his bony legs and twig like arms. His cheeks were hollowed to the point where you could see the outlines of his skull. His black hair was covered in flies and trash bits, but his appearance didn't bother him one bit.

Once the kid finished consuming his bread, he took one final look at the spectators before he ran down the opposite side. He staggered quite a bit as he ran for he had no flesh in his legs. The bread will probably give him diarrhea again, but at least his stomach will be filled for a few hours. That trash bin was one he hit up regularly. He would always wait there for a few hours until closing time, and when the restaurant workers came out to throw away the leftover food, he would go and dig in on the feast. But it seemed the owner finally took notice of the missing food and stopped throwing them away. When the kid was waiting by the street today, the owner was keeping guard outside and he was noticed. The son of a bitch was going to throw away the goods anyways, just because he was eating the thrown out food for free, the owner stopped. But the kid understood why, maintaining an image in Asia was very important. The kid sighed. Japan has become increasingly corrupted. But more importantly, he needed to find another restaurant trash bin to target now.

He had a decent life before. He had a few friends, a fun way to make money, but that all went down the drain when he gained a new "home." Being an orphan, wandering the streets alone, and scamming people for money, had made him crave for a home; a family to greet when he came home, a table covered with warm food, and a hot bath, all given to him without any conditions. He wanted to be able to eat good food without having to suck cock first. He wanted to sleep on a bed without having to masturbate first, and he wanted to have new things without having to beg for drugs first.

Drugs…drugs…white powder…he needed white powder.

The kid began to tremble at the thought of heroin, cocaine, opium and more powders. He bit his lips and covered the old injection scars on his left arm as he slid down onto the cold, stone gravel. He wanted to quit, he honestly did. But the last time he resisted his urges, he nearly bit off his tongue; however a stranger stopped him just in time.

The stranger offered him a job. He would go out and make whatever money he can, and if he can make enough, he'll be rewarded with some white powder or white pills.

_"The last person that tried to get over his addictions committed suicide…Your addiction is already too strong, there's no way you can quit…" _the boy recalled his employer's words

_It's fine…it's fine…as long as I can get money, he'll give me all the drugs I need…for the rest of my life…_the kid reassured himself as he stood back up. He had just taken a dose this morning, but his whole body was shivering none stop. The kid reached inside his shorts pocket and pulled out a little white package. With trembling hands, the boy slowly opened up the paper and hurriedly ingested the flour looking powder. For the next few minutes, he just stood against the brick walls and waited for the drug to work its magic.

The shivering soon slowed down, and the boy could feel nothing but lightness and dizzying bless. His head felt clearer, and his legs felt stronger. He let out a satisfied sigh and went to work. He needed money for tomorrow's dosage. Food, he can find in trash cans or on the sidewalk, but drugs was something that needed money.

With slow steady steps, he walked out of the alley and onto the main road. He swatted away the flies encircling his body and searched for a target. How nostalgic. He used to do this with his two friends. The three of them would fine someone well off, use the "pitiful child" scheme, and rob the person their riches. However, with him covered in trash and flies, no one would want to take pity on him up close. It can only be 'grab and run.'

It was a Saturday, so the streets were packed full with vendors and private owners displaying their money out in the open. Snatch and run; that's all he needed to do. He would first go up to a busy vendor, pretend to browse through the merchandise laid out in the open, then grab the money and run. It was that easy. Usually, the vendors were owned by the elderly, which meant they could never catch up to him, even if his legs were fragile.

"Come and get it! Five for ten dollars, five for ten dollars!" a sales lady shouted.

Even though he was smothered in trash, there were too many people touring the night markets to really notice him. The kid merged with the crowd and went to the nearest stall from him – an elderly woman selling handmade oriental handbags.

The woman was busy with several girls, gushing over which designs were cuter, but the only design the boy found cute was the money purse next to the old woman. The woman had her back to the purse as she continued to help the high school girls out with their choices, and the kid took this opportunity to sneak up behind the woman. He pretended to browse through the selection of silk hand bags. He pretended to yawn and looked around the streets to make sure no one noticed him, and then he grabbed it. He grabbed the purse, ducked low into the crowded streets and ran as fast as his skinny legs would take him.

"Hey! Hey you!" the woman from the stand shouted.

_Damn, she noticed. _

Someone help! There's a thief! Somebody help!" she screamed, and soon enough, several large men, carrying solid wooden bats started running his way.

The kid took a quick glance behind him and saw the men gaining up on him. He felt his adrenaline pumping hard as he crushed his foot harder into the gravel. He knocked people out of the way and onto the ground, hoping it will slow down his pursuers, but these men, unlike him, get to eat properly at a table, with bowls and chop sticks.

The boy ducked under a set of wooden stairs, hoping the men would pass him by. He coughed when he inhaled a breath full of dust and cobwebs. He felt his shorts growing damp as the wet mud soaked his clothes. He felt the cockroaches scurrying up his arm, and he heard the squeaking of the mice in the back ground as he waited to see if the men had passed by.

He clutched tight onto the thick wallet and waited one heartbeat after another. There was something smelly near him and he only realized too late that it was dog shit. He cringed, but dared not to make a sound. If they caught him, they would really kill him. His body could barely hold his own weight; a beating with those wooden boards would without a doubt cost him his life.

Death didn't sound bad, but the many times he had wanted to die, the many times he had attempted suicide, he always backed out. Thinking, "maybe I'll do it tomorrow…"

He didn't want to die yet. No matter how miserable and pathetic his life was currently, he still wanted to live. There was just that thin string of hope still tied around his soul that's giving him the will to go on. The tiny hope that perhaps tomorrow, lady luck will finally smile upon him. He had read in a book, which read "living on Earth was a mission from god." And at that moment, he thought that if he was able to complete this mission, god will award him with happiness and bless. He wanted to experience happiness again, and he wanted to experience warmth again. If he endures long enough, the lord will finally award him a family…just a little longer…he just had to endure a little longer.

When the voices of his pursuers finally died down, the boy crawled out from underneath the porch and ran as far away from the lively markets as possible. He would need to wash up first, and then he would count his money…and finally, he will get some sleep on the park's bench.

* * *

"Hey! Hey!" the distant shouting's of a man's voice shook the kid back into the conscious, windy world. He cracked open an eye and the first thing he saw was a man's, angry, wrinkly face, right above his.

"What the fuck do ya think ya doin' sleeping in front of my store ya little shit!?" the man's shouted at him vulgarly, hitting him full force with his spit shower.

"Nghh…what…?" the boy confusingly asked. After a quick wash up in the fountain at the park last night, the boy threw away the purse and pocketed the money, and from the current situation, it seems he had fallen asleep on the front steps of a small grocery store.

"I said…what the fuck are ya doing sleeping in front of my store?!" the man shouted out once more.

"Oh…" the boy muttered out. "I'm sorry…I was really tired last night…I'll go now…" he said as he began to stand up.

"Hey, hold it ya little shit" the man said as he reached out and grabbed onto the boy's twig like arm. "Ya think ya can just leave after sleeping on my property the whole night? This is my property ya slept on! Now pay up for a night's stay ya little shit! And ya also need to pay compensation fees for driving away all of my morning regulars!"

"What?" the boy shouted. "I didn't mean to sleep here…I'm sorry alright?"

"This ain't a free world kid, pay up or I'll call the cops" the owner threatened.

"Hey man! Look, I said I was sorry, and I don't have any money on me anyways!" the boy argued back.

"Oh yea? Then what's that in ya pocket?" the man said as he pointed at the corner of a thousand yen bill sticking out of the boy's pocket and began grabbing for it.

"Stop! Hey! That's my money!" the boy cried out, drawing attention, but once again, no one helped.

"Ya little shit! That's _my _money! Ya slept on my property and drove away my customers. Ya own me!" the man shouted.

The boy fought back with all he had, but it wasn't enough. His bony limbs were no match for a fleshy one. The boy gasped in surprise when the man shoved him hard onto the soild pavement and started stomping his foot down onto him. The boy curled up into a ball, screaming for help as the harsh, merciless blows rained down on him like a hammer.

"Help! Somebody help!" he shouted, but the only thing he received was pitiful glances from pedestrians. Some didn't even bother to turn an eye towards him.

"Ya" _stomp _"Little" _stomp _"Shit!" **_Stomp_**

The man finally pulled back, huffing angrily. He looked at the kid, curled up on the ground, sobbing and bleeding, but he didn't care. He wanted his money, and he took it.

"No money uh? Ya little bitch, there's at least thirty thousand here!" the man said and hurled a wad of spit towards the quivering kid.

"P-please…you don't under-understand…" the boy stuttered out. "I ne-need that money…please…please give it back to me…"

"I don't give a shit, now get off my property or I'll throw ya into an oncoming car!" and with that, the store's front doors slammed shut.

The boy weakly pulled himself off of the ground, wiping away the blood dripping down his forehead. He tried to stand up, but his legs immediately gave up. The bastard already took his drug money, if he stayed any longer, his life will be taken too. No, there was no way he was going to die now. He still wanted that reward god promised him. He just has to endure…that's all.

Mustering whatever strength was left in his worn out body, the boy finally managed to stand on up on his feet and limped away from the property. He needed to get more money…

Endure…he thought as he dragged his bruising leg forward. Endure…endure…

He chanted the words over and over again in his head, hoping it will give him some motivation, but soon, streaks of tears slid from his eyes and down his dirt covered face…_endure…_he thought again between sobs.

"Please…would you spare some change?" the boy asked as he tried his best to swallow his sobs. "Please sir…would you spare some change for food…?" he tried again. "Please spare some change…." He tried again as he stood against the wall, clutching his chest tightly to prevent his fracture ribs from breaking further, praying someone would spare him a little money so he could get his white powder before he starts to spasm again. It was only morning, he had taken a dosage last night, but that too, will soon wear off.

Throughout the chilly day, some kind souls would toss some coins his way, and some would even give him bills. But there still wasn't enough for the drugs, and he could start to feel his body shivering slowly once more. He didn't have another dosage on him, so if he lost control in the middle of town, no one would stop to call an ambulance. They would probably watch him twitch until he finally bites off his own tongue and bleed to death. He was pretty far away from his employer's hideout and he wasn't sure if he could make it in time, but perhaps if he was closer to the place, his employer would be kind enough to help him out again, and he will promise to make double the amount next time.

Gathering up the scattered coins and bills on the ground, the boy got up and started limping his way down the street once more. He felt the shivering intensify, but there was still a ways to go before he loses complete control of his body.

The boy cursed as another electric like pain shot through his leg. The bastard probably fractured his legs too. He barely eats anything, and the only liquid he consumes is water. Milk or cheese to help build strong bones was a luxury item in his mind. The only time he could drink milk was if he robbed a bowl of it from a cat.

As he wandered down the road, he watched people's lives pass by him. He saw girls gossiping over a magazine while eating double scoop ice creams. He saw elementary school boys, singing their school song while chewing on a barbecued squid. And he saw business men talking on their cell phone while carrying a bento. He was jealous; insanely jealous of every single one of them. If he wasn't hurt right now, he would go up to one of those little boys, steal their squid and eat it, he thought as he felt the tears welling up in his eyes once more. He had remembered eating fatty tuna before. There were four of them, two for him and two for his mother. But his mother never came back so he ate her share for her. He remembered he and his friends would go for victory ice creams whenever they had an on day. And he remembered the food served at the brothel. It was disgusting, but right now, the taste of that potato stew made by the chief there felt like angels dancing on his taste buds. The boy closed his eyes and tried to taste the air as he remembered all of the foods he had eaten once before. He also tried to remember the warmth of a blanket wrapped around him at night, and the softness and comfort of a mattress. But now, all those things were gone. His whole life revolved around stealing and drugs. He couldn't live without the drugs, and he couldn't get his drugs without money. He had always told himself, one day, he would get himself out of this mess, but who was he kidding. He was a hard core addict now. The money he manages to steal was barely enough to get him a dosage of powder. There wasn't even enough money left over for a bottle of clean water.

The boy allowed his tears to mar the ground as he walked towards his employer's house. He loved to visit his past. He wanted to live the rest of his life in his past, but the cruel present never allowed him. It forced him to keep walking forward. He had hoped the lord will reward him one day, but if god's offspring's won't even ask him if he was okay, what can god do for him? The boy let out a laugh. He had trapped himself in a fantasy. There's no one that would help him. Even if he died, time will still keep ticking, the earth will continue rotating, lives will keep living, and his dead body – filled with poison – will be consumed by Mother Nature as nutrients. _There was no god_.

The shivering reached his neck by the time he had reached a black car parked at the curb of the road. He tried to control the twitching, but his whole body started spazzing uncontrollably. He felt his legs beginning to melt and his mind began to spin. Mustering whatever strength and control he still had, the boy lifted his foot up once more and tried to take another step forward. As his foot hit the ground, his knees cracked, his foot twisted and he plummeted to the ground head first. First, he heard a loud sickening crack, and then he felt the warm blood oozing out of his head, crawling away from him, but the feeling of cold loneliness predominated all.

The boy tried to get up once more, but fell to the ground within seconds. He turned his head to see who was looking at him, but what he saw shocked him more than anything. He saw it, his own reflection in the black, polished car. A wide eyed boy, with rings of black underneath his eyelids, and a face so bony, the cheek bones looked jagged. And hands so thin he swore he could see all twenty seven bones. But the worst of all was that pitiful look in his eyes, covered in tears and dirt. He was gone, and so he screamed. He gathered himself off of the ground and scooted away from the reflection, but he could still see it...he could still see himself. He clawed at his face and screamed and cried. This wasn't him; this wasn't how he was supposed to turn out. How did everything end up this way? Yes…it was because of that fat pig of a mayor he stabbed. The pig pumped him full of drugs, the pig tried to break him, and when the pig finally tried to rape him, he stabbed him repeated, but not enough to kill him. Ever since that incident, he had fled from the summer house in Karuizawa. He had hid in the back of a truck and came to the neighbouring town, which was where he found out his drug addiction was incurable. Yes…it was all because of that fat pig…it was entirely that corrupted mayor's fault, it wasn't his fault…

The drugs were too strong, so strong that it broke him completely. He has become its slave, it has become his life. He wasn't strong enough to fight it…

The boy's hysterical cries and violent spasms caused people on the road to run away from him. He saw mothers dragging their child far away from him. He saw girls looking at him with disgust and guys looking at him, pointing and laughing.

He tried to hide his face behind his hands. He didn't want strangers to see what he had become; he didn't want to see what he had become.

He then heard footsteps approaching, but he didn't pay any attention to it. He wanted to die…and this time, he meant it. He no longer wanted to endure. He had endured enough. The best reward god could bestow upon him was eternal rest.

Completely consumed in his own despair, the boy did not even notice the approaching man until a deep voice called out to him "what's wrong?" The kid looked up but all he could see now was spiders crawling up his arms, which made him scream his voice hoarse. The hallucinations were finally starting to kick in.

"Hey! Calm down" the voice came again.

The boy looked up to see a scar-faced man with bugs and blood oozing out of his skin, which made him kick and punch the air in front of him. He tried to back away more, but he was already up against the wall. The scar-faced man bent down and reached for him, trying to hold him down.

"Calm down kid…what's wrong…Your head is bleeding a lot…do you need an ambulance?"

"No…no…" the kid spazzed out, "powder…I need white powder…

"White powder? The man pondered for a moment before realizing what the kid was referring to. "What's a little brat like you doing taking drugs?"

"N-N-Nee…d…Pw…powder…" the boy shook violently while clutching hard onto his thin little arms, hard enough to draw out blood from his visible veins. "No! No! I-I-I don't…don't need your…p-pity…!"

"I have powder –" the scar-faced man began, but quickly got cut off when the boy lunged violently into him.

"G-Give…give…me…I-I can suck…suck good…I-I…can…do…do a-anything…no…no…no pity!" the boy cried out as he jumped back and forth between his trance as the last of last night's drug vanished from his system.

"Here" the scar-faced man said as he pulled out and held up a blister pack containing several white pills.

It wasn't what he usually took, but he had taken the pills before too. And as soon as his salvation came into sight, he tackled the man, aiming for the pack of drugs.

The pills fell onto the ground, and a few popped out of the package, but the boy scurried over to the freed pills and licked it off of the side walk. Only when he swallowed, did he feel his body calming down, and his mind floating into the heavens.

He felt a gentle touch on the small of his back and he marvelled at the warmth of a concerned touch.

"What's your name son?" the scar-faced man asked.

The boy looked up to have a proper look at the face, and he couldn't help but feel a hint of nostalgia. The man stood out like a sore thumb in his fancy white suit. As his vision began to clear up, he noticed that the man wore the scar on the right side of his face, but that didn't defy that handsome, manly face. The man's strong muscular built and lean figure made him jealous. He was too bony…even though puberty had hit him about a year ago, the drugs and malnutrition made him look like a living skeleton wearing hollowed skin. But who knows how handsome he'll look once he gets some meat back onto his body.

"T-Takaba…Akihito…" the boy whispered just before electric signals of peace and happiness stimulated his brain, shutting it off for rest.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: viewfinder and its characters belong to yamane ayano

Warnings: unedited, au, oc, ooc, violence, psychological, drug use, depression

A/N: my knowledge on drug addiction treatment is minimal, I did minimal research on it but what is written below is purely fiction (it may contain true facts). But I have seen these drug victims before and how they act is indeed very soul crushing. This is the last "depressing" chapter for now, there may be more in the future ^^ Happy reading..or not

* * *

**Chapter three - Marsh Flowers**

Marsh – break down the old, welcome the new

"Mountains cannot crush the earth, no matter the weight"

Akihito noticed several things were out of place even before he opened his eyes. First was that despite it being October, he felt warm. Past experiences have taught him that sleeping on a park bench in October should leave him half frozen. Second. He was laying on something soft. Past experiences have taught him that sleeping outside usually meant waking up to a hard ground or a dirty wooden bench. And thirdly, he smelled food, right beside him, which induced the thought of stealing for foraging for food later into his head.

He slowly opened one eye, but quickly shut it for the light above him was too bright; however, with a few flutters, he soon adjusted. Next was the other eye. His system, packed filled with poisonous drugs weren't used to such brightness, but he still had to open them. He needed to see what was going on around him. Was he in heaven? What happened? The last memory he had was of him screaming at his own disturbing reflection.

Akihito turned his head off to the side and noticed he was in a very large room decorated with many fancy furniture and paintings. They looked European; he remembered the style because the mayor he used to live with loved western looks.

Following the smell of the food, Akihito looked up at the night table beside him and saw a steaming warm bowl with the handle of a spoon sticking out from it. As if it was reflex, he immediately sat up, grabbed the bowl and gulped down the contents. He didn't know what he was putting into his body, all he knew was that it was edible, and it was heavenly and pure bless. He used the spoon to scrape whatever was left in the bowl into his mouth as he continued to swallow everything that had come into contact with his tongue; whether it was solid or liquid.

After he had finished, Akihito put the bowl back onto the night table and wiped his mouth. Whatever it was, it was the best meal he has ever had. He didn't care if it was poisoned, or left for someone else; he had never wanted something so bad before. Of course, he had never actually remembered how he acts when he goes into shock due low concentrations of narcotics in his system.

Akihito sat there for a few minutes and felt the warmth of the food travelling down into his shrivelled up stomach. He let out a quiet sob at the incredible feeling of eating fresh, warm food, and the incredible feeling of sleeping in such a warm, comforting bed. But whose place was this? It looked expensive and he had maybe only a thousand yen that he earned from begging on the streets earlier.

Swinging his legs out from under the heavy, dawn covers, Akihito slipped on the slippers laid beside the bed. He wowed and admired for a few seconds at how soft and soothing the slippers material felt on his blisters.

The room was incredibly big. And when he turned around, he noticed the bed was the biggest he had ever seen. His previous pig of an owner didn't even have a bed this big. Akihito pocked his hands when he felt a chill coming in. Even though the phenomenal room was heated, having zero percent body fat couldn't keep any part of him warm. The inside of the pockets was fluffy and soft, unlike his torn up shorts filled with holes. Wait…immediately looking down, Akihito noticed he was in a white bathrobe, not his usual tee shirt and shorts. He also noticed he was bathed and bandaged. His chest has been tightly bandaged to stabilize his broken ribs. His bruises have some sort of white ointment on them to speed up healing, and all his cuts had a cute kero designed bandages over them. Akihito studied his body, which didn't feel like his anymore in awe when the large double doors to the room opened to reveal an elegant looking woman in a maid get up.

"Sir!" the woman cried out when she saw him standing on his fractured leg in the middle of the room. She immediately ran up to him and gently led him back into the bed. "Sir, you must not put pressure on yourself, you are severally injured" the woman informed him as she tucked him back into bed.

Akihito stared at the maid speechlessly as he allowed her to treat him like a little baby. The woman smiled when she saw the empty bowl on the night stand. "I see you're all done here, so I'll be taking that…" the woman said as she picked up the tray.

"Ummm…?" Akihito interrupted and the woman turned around and beamed him a smile.

"Don't worry dear, I'll have the chief cook up something nice for you in a moment" the woman said before exiting the room, leaving Akihito alone once again.

_Who was that? An angel? _Akihito thought to himself. This gorgeous room, this comforting bed, that warm bowl of soup, and that angelic woman…he was in heaven. It seemed he had really died this time, Akihito convinced himself as he tried to backtrack his actions within the last few hours. After finally facing his own reflection in that car – seeing his true self – he freaked. But what happened after that? He remembered seeing a face…a nostalgic face…

As he consumed himself in thoughts, the room doors opened once more, this time, revealing a man. The man was wearing a white coat and was carrying a black leather bag in his hand which perked his curiosity. The man came up to the bed and sat down beside him.

"How are you feeling son?" the man asked.

"F-fine…" Akihito replied hesitantly._ What is going on…?_

"Relax, everything is fine. You're safe now" the man reassured. "I am a doctor and I'm just going to perform a few checks. Is your breathing normal?" he asked.

Akihito took a moment to observe his breathing and then nodded.

"Good…and does your chest hurt?

"A little, but not too much…" Akihito replied meekly.

"Good…you're not feeling light headed or anything either?"

"I do a little…"

"Hmm, that should go away after we get some food into you kid" the doctor laughed. It was such a heartily laugh.

"I'm just going get some blood samples from you for a blood test and then we will be done. Hold out your arm" the doctor instructed and Akihito blindly obeyed.

"What's going on…? Where am I?"

"This is one of Takeo-sama's residences. I believe he found you unconscious last night on his way back from home. I'm not too clear on the details but Takeo-sama will be back soon so you can ask him all of your questions then" the doctor smiled as he put on a pair of latex gloves. He pressed around his arm a few times, looking for a good place to draw blood, and when he found it, he wiped a cool pad over the area and tied a rubber band just above.

"This will hurt just a little" the doctor smiled again.

Akihito was blown away at the acts of kindness he was receiving. He still didn't understand what was going on, or who this Takeo-sama was, but the warmth he felt blooming in his chest was such a nice foreign feeling to him…until he saw the needle.

"No!" Akihito screamed and retracted his arm. "No! Get that thing away from me!"

"Son?" the doctor reached out, concern laced in his voice. Did he do something wrong? The kid seemed fine just a few seconds ago. And just then, he remembered.

Drug abuse…the doctor recalled.

Takeo-sama had informed him the child was a victim of drug abuse. The needle in his hands probably looked like those injection needles used in the narcotic world.

"Hey kiddo" the doctor said in a soothing quiet voice. "This needle isn't one of those, trust me. Do you see anything in here? See? It's empty" the doctor said as he held up the needle for the trembling boy to see. "I swear on my life, there is nothing that will hurt you in here"

Akihito continued to stare at the man in white grub and at the needle in his hand. The man's face hid no lies, but Akihito knew better then to judge based on first appearance. Akihito stared cautiously at the man and scooted an inch away from the doctor as he held onto his arm tightly to prevent the doctor from grabbing him and forcing him down for an injection.

"Alright kiddo…don't worry, I won't force you. We'll call it a day for now alright?" the doctor said with a smile as he put the needle away and Akihito visibly relaxed, but still continued to put up a guard just in case. Just then, a deep voice suddenly interrupted, causing both bodies in the room to startle in surprise. "What's going on?" the voice called out?

The doctored turned around and gasped out. "Takeo-sama? Back already?"

"I wanted to see how the little puppy was doing" the new comer teased as he smirked towards Akihito.

"He is doing great sir, but we'll have to pull back the blood test. It seems the needle reminded him of past injections…" the doctor informed and the man named Takeo nodded in agreement.

"Fair enough, we don't want past trauma to harm you now do we?" the man said as he came closer to the bed.

Akihito stared at the man in awe. This man was insanely handsome, and that scar on his face just made him look cooler. The man wore a regular navy blue polo accompanied by a pair of jeans. He looked like the prince that came out of fairy tales. So consumed with this man's presence, Akihito did not even realize his mouth was gaped open with drool staring to spill until the doctor took a handkerchief and wiped his mouth.

"What's the matter? Don't remember me? You picked my pockets about a year ago. Remember? Ox leather wallet, sixty thousand yen inside…?" the man said in a cheery tone and ruffled his hair. "So he is doing fine?" he asked the doctor once more.

"Yes Takeo-sama."

"Good, thank you for your work"

"I will come back tomorrow for another check-up, but please call me if anything comes up" the doctor said as he got up to leave.

Once the door clicked close, Takeo pulled up a chair and sat at the bed side. For the next few minutes, the two of them just stared at each other silently. Finally, it was Akihito who broke the silence.

"Ummm…who are you…?"

The man chuckled. "I'm your guardian angel" he teased.

"I'm serious!"

"Hahah…My name is Takeo Isamu, nice to meet you Akihito-kun" the man greeted.

"Takeo?" Akihito asked.

"That's right."

"Why…why did you bring me here…?"

"I'm a softy" Takeo chuckled as he stroked Akihito's hair. "I have a habit of picking up every injured puppy I find."

"Heyyyy…." Akihito whined at being called an injured puppy. "I'm serious…tell me the truth…"

"I am. I'm weak against women and children and occasionally, little animals. I can't turn my back on them especially when they need help."

Akihito stared at the man for a moment. "Wow…you're amazing…" he unconsciously whispered out loud and the man chuckled. "But _who_ are you? Your home is so pretty…"

Takeo chuckled again. "I'm the head of the Takeo clan. You could say I'm a business man, but enough about me, let's talk a little about you. How old are you kiddo?" he asked.

"Ummm…I think I'm fourteen…maybe fifteen. Not sure…"

"When's your birthday?" Takeo asked.

"I don't remember…I never celebrated it so I eventually forgot…" Akihito replied meekly.

"Hey hey hey, you never had a birthday party? You don't know your own date of birth?" Takeo asked and Akihito nodded in response.

"Now that's not right" he said as he rubbed his thumb on the back of the small boy's hand. "Poor child…"

"I think my birthday was around spring time though…I remember my mama making a big deal about it whenever the plum flowers blossomed…but I don't remember much…"

"Then I'll give you a birthday. May the fifth."

"Why that day?" Akihito asked confusingly.

"Because that's my birthday; on that day, we'll celebrate our birth into this world together."

"Together…? What do you mean? I'll get to see you again on your birthday?" Akihito asked.

"Yes, you'll get to see me on my birthday, the next day, the next year, five years from now and five years after that" Takeo said. "Akihito, I have decided to bring you into my family. There's no way I can throw a homeless little boy back onto the streets. Everybody deserves a home"

"…" Akihito stared blankly at the man, which caused him to laugh.

"What's the matter kiddo?" Takeo asked between chuckles.

"What are you talking about? Me? In your family?" Akihito asked, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Yes, you in my family" Takeo repeated himself.

"But...I don't understand…? Why? You suddenly found me on the road and brought me home and tell me you want me as a family member? This is so…so sudden…We're only met a second ago...and you bring this up?"

"Do you remember how we met Akihito?"

The boy shook his head.

"I found you near my car. You were crying and running amok. You begged me for "white powder." I gave you some pills, and you calmed down and fell asleep only after you ate it."

"Y-You saw me…?" Akihito asked with wide opened eyes. His drug induced state was something he feared people seeing. He doesn't want the look of pity directed at him, and he doesn't want the look of disgust directed at him. That side of him was something he had wanted to keep hidden forever.

"I saw you" the man replied earnestly.

"Then why do you want me…?" Akihito asked in a meekly voice. "I'm an addict."

"Akihito, there's nothing to be ashamed of here. Don't worry about being an addict; I can help you overcome it."

"What?!" Akihito cut in. "But that's impossible, my employer informed me I'm in too deep, I can never quit…"

"Employer? Do you mean supplier?" Takeo asked. "Akihito, listen to me. Dealers tell all their clients that so they can sell their drugs. If the clients believe they need to relay on narcotics for the rest of their lives, the dealers would have a steady source of income. Do you understand Akihito?"

The boy didn't move…couldn't move as he listened to the words of concern being spoken at him. When was the last time he heard such caring words being directed at him? He couldn't remember, he couldn't remember anything anymore. His mind had always been in a constant haze ever since he was forced to live in Karuizawa. He couldn't remember what his two friends' faces looked like anymore, he could barely remember their names now. The drugs have ruined him, and they continued to do so. He had sunk down into the lowest level of society. Foraging for food through trash cans, stealing money from families and eating drugs right off of the floor; he was more than pathetic, more than pitiful. He was disgusting.

"Akihito? Are you listening?" Takeo asked. "I promise I will help you overcome your addiction."

"No…no, you can't…it's already too late" Akihito silently sobbed. "Look at me! Look at me…I'm sick…I'm dirty, I'm…I'm ruined…"

Seeing the broken boy break out in tears, the older man leaned in close and pulled the boy close to his chest, giving him comfort and warmth. He wrapped his arms around the bony, trembling back, and cupped the back of the child's injured head and cradled him. "You're perfect kiddo…I promise, once you get some meat back onto those bones, you'll feel better. The chief is preparing a feast for you, all for you. Eat and then we'll talk some more alright?"

* * *

"The blood test results came back?" Takeo asked the doctor sitting across from him.

"Yes sir."

After Akihito cried himself back to sleep, the doctor came in and secretly took some blood for examining, and the results made the poor doctor's soul ache.

"Heroin levels are predominant, there are also traces of cocaine and opium…but those are relatively low" the doctor explained as he read the reports.

Takeo let out a stressed sigh at the news.

"Be honest with me here. What are the chances of him getting off of these narcotics?" Takeo asked.

"I have never treated a drug abuse victim before…but from what I've heard, the procedure is a very miserable path. If we cannot help him rid of his addiction properly, he could die, or he could go mad and start killing. It's a very risky thing. Some families would rather have their loved ones live on these drugs forever than see them go mad or end up dying a miserable death."

"Tell me, will he be able to live if doesn't take the narcotics?"

The doctor sighed. "To be frank, the chances of overcoming drug addictions are very low, but those who overcome their addiction through suicide are high" the doctor explained. "However, the reason for death doesn't come from cutting the drug supply, but from patients who can't endure the pain that comes with drug termination."

"I am more than familiar with an addicted individual, but the procedure to terminate addiction is something I have never thought I would face…" Takeo said with a weary face. "So you are saying the only way to help him overcome this is to force him to endure the pain…?"

"Correct…it's the fastest way I know off, but also the most painful…" the doctor explained. "We have to look at two perspectives: the patient's mind and the patient's body. If the patient wants to overcome this, then success rates are high, but if the patient has given up hope, then there's really no way left. From the body's point of view, drug termination is a very long and miserable procedure, but as long as the patient's spirit and mind is strong enough to endure, we should succeed" the doctor explained. He picked up the blood results once again and flipped through the pages. "He's been on drugs for a little over a year, but he has been taking very high dosages…" the doctor said with a cracking voice. _So young…_he thought. "As I have said before, the fastest way to get through this is to stop his drug intake completely starting today, and have him endure for at least half to one month…"

"What happens if he starts shivering again?" Takeo asked.

"Distract him, tell him a story, have him think of something else, get his attention away from the narcotics" the doctor replied. "Shivering and trembling is just a phase. It will stop eventually."

"So he is cured if he can overcome the shivering?"

"To ensure he is completely cured, we need to continue this for at least a month" the doctor said. "After a month, when he no longer thinks about drugs – when he no longer craves for it, is when he will be completely cured."

"There's really no easier way…?" Takeo asked quietly. He didn't want to damage the boy any more than the world had already did, but he also did not want the drugs to deteriorate that small body any longer. Akihito doesn't look like a teenager at all with this small stature. He looked more like a ten or eleven year old. He still remembers the trembling body, crying in his arms, crying out that he was ruined and disgusting. He wanted to rid the boy of those negative thoughts. The child he met a year ago who snatched his wallet right out of his hands, the boy who kneed his best bodyguard right in the balls was someone he wanted to bring back.

"Other methods could take months or even years to cure, and those require the intake of more medicine. Takeo-sama, the child is already a living skeleton. There's no color in his lips, his skin is pale white, and he feels cold everywhere to the touch. Introducing more medicine to his system would damage him even further. Not to mention, all medicine are drugs, meaning they all have some sort of negative side effects, be it long term or short term. There's also the choice of lessening his dosages each day, but that would mean his body would still be exposed to the narcotics poison" the doctor said. "The most painful days would most likely be the first week. After a week, his body should start to revert back to its original system. If he can endure for at least a week, it will increase the success rate by two fold."

"What about long term effects after he overcomes his addiction?" Takeo asked.

"If he succeeds, he might be traumatized if he comes across things that resemble his past, for example, a needle. But human minds have the ability to protect their owners when the damage is severe, so the chances of him developing anemia of the past year is very high. If not, and his trauma is too severe, there is always hypnosis."

A moment of silence passed though the room. The howling of the mid-autumn wind caused the glass windows to shake with fear. The naked branches shook violently in the air as the wind tossed it from side to side, and the moon's hunting glow cast an army of shadow monsters onto the Earth's floor. Symbolizing omen was on its way.

"Money is not a problem at all. I will hire whomever I need to help that boy find his way back again. I no longer want him to look so broken, I want his spirit rebuild right away, but I need to overcome the tallest mountain first" Takeo said and the doctor agreed. "Then, starting today, I will get rid of every piece of narcotic in this house hold."

Takeo stood up from his chair and walked towards the door. "I'm going to inform Akihito and hear his say in this. I suppose we would need ropes to tie him down if he loses control?"

"Ropes will hurt his fragile skin, I will prepare some strips of fabric Takeo-sama" the doctor informed and Takeo exited the room with an approved nod.

The hallway leading to the boy's room was dark, it was a part of the house where moon light did not hit, but the amount of sunlight was abundant. Takeo lifted up his head, looked into the starry sky and sighed. _Another battle is about to start _he thought to himself and acknowledge that this battle was going to be one of the hardest he will experience in his lifetime.

To help this particular boy find himself once again, is something he absolutely needed to do. He will not allow Akihito to die such a miserable death. Even though this boy was still a completely stranger to him, his resolution was solid as he was a stubborn man.

Was Akihito completely broken? When he first greeted the conscious boy, he had thought he saw a flicker of flame wave in those light hazel eyes. The sun in Akihito hasn't been completely blocked out yet; the eclipse wasn't complete, which allowed a sliver of sunlight to still exist in that tiny soul to help keep that fire alive. He will rekindle that sun, and he will rekindle that hope. He will not allow the eclipse to blacken everything.

The room was pitch black when he opened the doors, but he saw the small silhouette sitting up, unmoving.

A shot of electrical fear ran down his spine when he saw the deadly still shadow sitting on the bed. The windows were still closed and nothing in the room seemed broken. Could the boy's dealers have come to silence him? Rushing towards the light switch, Takeo flipped them on and jerked his head back towards the bed, to see Akihito just staring at him.

"Don't scare me kid…if you're awake, say something" Takeo said as he let out a huge breath of relief, but the boy didn't say anything.  
"Akihito, the doctor and I have a way to help you overcome your addiction. Are you willing to cooperate with us?" Takeo asked as he walked over to the bed.

Akihito looked up. "Why? Why are you helping me?"

"…" Takeo stared back into that conflicted little face. He really doesn't know how to answer that question. "Because I want to."

"That's not an answer…" Akihito said.

"Do I need a reason to help someone?" Takeo asked with a smile and Akihito grew silent. "I had a son, he would be your age now…"

"What do you mean?" Akihito asked.

"He was taken hostage. I gave them the demanded money, and they gave back my son in the form of a carcass…" Takeo explained.

"I'm sorry…" Akihito said, offering his condolences.

"Don't be kid…Don't ask why anymore alright? I just want to help you. I want to see you running around, kneeing people in the balls and snatching their wallets again" the man joked while ruffling his hair, secretly letting out a relieved sigh when the kid believed his lie.

Akihito let out a small laugh but he quickly covered his mouth. _What was that?_

"You laughed! That's marvellous!" Takeo cheered.

"Laughed…" Akihito repeated. When was the last time he had laughed? He couldn't remember at all.

As Akihito continue to amaze at what he had just done, Takeo began explaining their plans to the kid.

"Akihito, starting today, we're going to cut off your drug supply completely. It will be painful, but we're all here to help you alright? If you can endure for a week, the rest will be easier…"

"What?" Akihito cried out. "Completely? But I'll start spazzing again! People will see me spasm…"

"I told you, you've done nothing shameful. If you can do this, you will never have to worry about people seeing you lose control again" Takeo said.

"H-how about….how about I have my normal dosage t-today…then…then I'll have half of my normal d-dosage tomorrow…th-then h-half ha-half of that…" Akihito tried reasoning, completely unaware that his body has just started to tremble.

"Akihito, the doctor has informed me that the best method was to completely cut it loose" Takeo explained to the young boy as he reached out and held onto his fragile little hands. "This is the fastest way. It has already been half a day since the last time you took it, let's keep this up alright?"

"H-Half a day…? No…it's been…been at least…a d-day…" Akihito shuttered.

"Akihito, today is the first day, don't give up so soon alright? Swallow it down, endure it."

"Endure…?" Akihito whispered. "I have always been enduring…" With a shattered look on his face, Akihito swung his legs out of bed and onto the carpeted floor and walked towards the moon lit window. He limped – convulsing with every step – as he walked towards the window. The moon was particularly round this evening. The moon's light was so lonely and saddening…how did the moon endure being along for so long? He had remembered his mother telling him a story about the goddess of the moon. She ate the elixir of immortality and her body floated up to the cold, lonesome sphere. Only she lived on that circular orb in the sky, with no one there to accompany her.  
"Akihito…" Takeo spoke out. The boy's body had started to become stiff and choppy. "Akihito, did you know that your eyes remind me of someone very close to me…"

Akihito turned around to look at the man's face.

"I see so much of you in that someone…" Takeo said as he reached out to gently pull Akihito away from the light of the moon and towards the bed. "Why don't you tell me about your mother Akihito?"

"M-My mama…the two…two of us used to w-work in a brothel…I-I was still t-too young but she worked…th-then she got bought…a-and I-I never s-saw her a-again…" Akihito explained.

"How did you end up on the streets?" Takeo asked as he held the boy tightly in his chest.

"A-A year ag-o…N-Naka…da…bought me…t-then…then…I e-escaped…" Akihito gasped out as the shivering became worse. "B-But...he…he never…received me…he never…t-took me" Akihito let out a small victorious smile.

"Hahah, I image you got him pretty good?" Takeo continued the conversation as he began rocking the boy gently in his arms.

"Y-Yea…I st-stabbed him…g-good…Ah...ah…!" Akihito chocked as he began to feel the pain invade his body. He felt his limps starting to spasm wildly and his eyes unable to focus on the objects in front of him. He desperately reached out for his saviour, trying to feel whatever he could. He wanted to grab onto the warmth present in front of him but he couldn't reach it.

"Akihito! Akihito…remember, remember your mother, and don't think about the pain" Takeo coaxed as the boy began to convulse intensely. "Akihito, my chief has made you udon. If you don't like udon, we got curry, donburi, okayu…everything, we have everything here. Tell me what you like to eat Akihito…"

"Arggg...no…nghh…I…I need…I need…" Akihito gasped out.

"Akihito, you have already suffered so much, this is the last obstacle left…endure it, endure it. I'll be here to help you" Takeo shouted as he grasped tightly onto that little hand.

"N-Noo…no…get get o-out…you can't help me…you can't help me…" Akihito grunted before letting out a scream as the next wave of pain hit him.

"Akihito! Hang in there! I can help you, I will give you strength!" Takeo shouted as he fought to keep the boy down.

"Lies lies lies!" Akihito cried out. "No one can help me! D-Don't you under-understand?! Only drugs…only drugs can help me!"

"Listen to me! You can do this! Do you really want to live the rest of your life this way!?" Takeo shouted as he tried to pin the boy down.

The young boy was very strong for someone with his figure; however, Takeo knew the strength human beings were capable of possessing in desperate situations. He has seen a little seven year old boy, desperately trying to stay afloat in water, drowned his father before. Humans bring out their maximum strength when they are in trouble, and Akihito was going into high alert. A foot came out from under the covers and nailed him right in the jaws, Takeo could have sworn he heard a cracking sound when the kick connected, but the moment his hold became loose, Akihito escaped and started breaking everything in sight.

"Give it to me! Give it to me!" he shouted as he knocked over vases and chairs. Grabbing one of the broken glass fragments off of the floor, he grasped it tightly in his hands. "There's…there are bugs…there are bugs coming out of my s-skin…I-I need to k-kill them…"

Akihito gasped out as his trembling hand, holding onto the sharp fragment, hovered over his wrist.

"Akihito!" Takeo cried out before lunging at the boy. Grasping onto his hands, Takeo tried to loose Akihito's grip on the deadly weapon.

"No…No…t-tie…t-tie me up…look at my hands…" Akihito cried out as he held up his shivering hands. "Look at them! Stop them! Tie me up…hurry…g-get ropes!"

"Somebody hurry up and get in here!" Takeo shouted towards the closed door.

"My head…My head is going to split apart…Ahhhh…my eyes…I can't see anymore! I can't hear anymore! Where's my mama! Where's my mama!" Akihito cried as he banged his head against the hard floor. "Why are you making me suffer like this?! Save me…save me..."

"What do you mean you can't see or hear? Akihito? Let me see!" Takeo shouted as he rushed over to stop the boy from damaging himself further.

"Why are you making me go through this…why didn't you kill me…why am I alive…" Akihito's guttural voice sobbed out as his first wave of madness finally began to cease.

Suddenly, the doctor and several men and women came bursting into the room.

"Doctor, he said he can't see" Takeo explained as he kneeled beside the small boy who finally seemed to have calmed down. The doctor ran up to them and looked into that dead face.

"Son? Look at me son" the doctor said. "Can you really not see anymore? Are you sure it's not because you think you can't see?"  
"I-I…" Akihito muttered.

"Akihito…? How are you feeling?" Takeo asked.

"How…how am I feeling…?" Akihito stared up blankly into the man's eyes. "How am I feeling…?" his weakened voice spoke out again. "Like I want to kill!" Akihito suddenly yelled as he started to hit everything within his vicinity once more. Standing up and going into another rampage, Akihito started going after the weaker ones. He lunged for a woman's throat but got immediately held back by the men in the room.

"Get out! All of you get out! Or I'll kill everyone!" Akihito hollered.

"Akihito! Akihito! We're not going to go anywhere! Cold water! Get some cold water!" Takeo shouted and a man immediately ran out to fetch some.

"You! How could you get me suffer like this!" Akihito cried out. "How could you! You said you would help me! You liar! Liar!"

"Akihito, we are trying to help you, just endure it, endure it!"

"No…no…my employer cares about me more than all of you…he cares about me more than you all ever will! He would never let me suffer like this…he's the one that's trying to help me! Not you! He would give me drugs…he would give me drugs! I'm tired…I'm going mad! I don't want to be a part of your family…I'm too tired…this is too hard…I can't do it I can't do it! Do you understand?" Akihito hysterically cried out. "I would rather be my employer's fuck toy…I would rather be his thing…his anything…because he will give me what I want…he will give me drugs! Drugs! Drugs! Drugs!"

Suddenly, a splash of freezing cold water covered his skin and Akihito screamed at the sudden cold pain, but his rampage stilled once again.

"Akihito!" Takeo shouted as he pinned the boy's arms down. "Listen to me; it has already been a day since you last took your dose. We've already come this far so we're getting rid of this addiction no matter what. You can hit, you can scream, but we will definitely not lose to that poison! The doctor said you won't die from not taking it. Since you won't die, you just have to endure it. Everyone here will stand by you. We will endure this with you. I will not let you fail; your failure is my failure. I will save you no matter what!"

"No! I don't want you to save me!" Akihito sobbed. "I want white powder…I want drugs…give it to me! I've already failed…so let me live my life in failure…"

"I refuse to let you fail Akihito!" Takeo shouted.

"Leave me alone! Are you telling me you never failed at anything? You have your failures and I have mine, so leave me alone!" Akihito cried.

"I may have failures, but I never gave up on my own life!"

"I don't w-want to live…living is too painful…living is too much of a burden…I don't want life…I want…I want…drugs…" Akihito grunted as he fell onto his knees, clutching his head. "My head…my head is going to burst…there's something inside, pulling my head apart…"

Akihito shuttered as he started beating at his own head.

A sudden loud cracking sound echoed throughout the room, and Akihito fell onto the floor unconscious and shivering.

"Please forgive me Takeo-sama, I think perhaps this could end his pain for the time being…" the man who brought the cold water said.

"No, it's fine. Thank you." Takeo said as he lifted Akihito up and walked towards the bed. "Clean this mess up and go get some fresh clothes, I don't want him catching a cold in his condition" Takeo ordered and the maids immediately went to complete their duties.

"It's probably best for him to sleep for a while, he truly is too tired. Only sleep is his is tranquillity right now. When he wakes up again, it's possible that he will go wild once again" the doctor informed and Takeo nodded in agreement.

* * *

"M-My body…there's thousands bugs in there…crawling inside of me…on…on my bones…and in my b-blood…" the boy gasped out once again between his spasms. "I…I give up…let me…let me give up…"

"Try to remember your friends, Kou and Takato. They don't know what happened to you right? You have to go see them again and let them know you're okay now" Takeo encouraged from the sidelines. "Once you're better, I'll even invite them here to see you if you want."

"No…no…they can't see me like this…not like this…" Akihito grunted. "Why is it me? W-Why is it me that has to endure this pain…?"

"Akihito, I'm begging you, let's try it for another night, alright? Another night, just one more night" Takeo said. It has already been five days since he had brought Akihito back home and every night, he has been coaxing Akihito into trying it for one more night.

"Arggg!" Akihito cried out and lunged away from his bonds and aimed for a maid, pushing her right into the freshly broken shards of glass. "Give it to me! Give it to me!"

"Get a hold of yourself son! That's a human being!" the doctor cried out as he rushed over to the bleeding maid.

"I don't want! I don't want!" Akihito's hoarse voice cried out in pain.

"Akihito, you told me about the phrase your mother always says to you right? Remember it? "The mountains can't crush the earth?" You told me what it means, do you remember? No matter the weight, the earth can endure it and you can too, don't underestimate yourself. Akihito, remember it! You won't give up, we won't give up!"

"I'll kill you all! I'll rip you guys apart!"

"Remember Kou and Takato? Remember all those stories you told me about them? How the three of you would trick a poor woman with your childish scams? Remember? Once you get through this, you can do it again; I'll buy you whatever you need to pull off those scams! Akihito!" Takeo shouted and shook the boy.

"Listen to me son" the doctor cut in. "I have thrown ever last piece of heroin or opium or any sort of narcotics into the burner last night. Even if you want it, we have none left! You'll just have to live with it!"

"B-bastards…bastards! How could you be so cruel! What…what did I ever do to you?!" Akihito hollered as he lunged towards the doctor with the intention to kill.

"Hold him down!" the men in the room cried out.

"There's no way left, we have to restrain him! Someone get the ropes! If we're set on doing this to the end, we need to tie him down!" the doctor screamed to the maids. "Get the fabric strips I prepared!"

"Get him into that chair!" Takeo shouted and the men moved to force the small boy into the wooden chair. As the fabric strips came one by one, they started to go around Akihito's legs and arms. When the boy's struggles became too wild, and the chair shattered into pieces upon hitting the floor, the men had no choice but to tie the boy to the bed; one leg to each post and one arm to each post.

The distant, empty howling of nature raddled against the windows as the sun began to set once more. The past five days felt like an eternity as five men and three women tried to calm a fourteen year old boy down. The walls of the room wore large scars and the furniture were all shattered back into its original, wooden shards. The porcelain vases all broken and ever flower in them completely torn asunder. Even the springs in the bed began to creek. The girls were all covered in bruises from being hit by the little wild beast, and the men were covered in scratches and some even possessed fractured bones. The phenomenal effects of such a small white pill were beyond amazing…and cruel. Just a few was capable of destroying a spirit into unmendable pieces; but Akihito fought back, even if it wasn't very often, the boy would occasionally beg for help. The week was almost up, just a little longer and success would be in their hands.

During the past few days, Takeo had tried to distract Akihito by asking him about his past. His mother's name was Yayoi, and he had two partners in crime, whom he considered sworn brothers for life. He didn't ask him about his time spend in Karuizawa for that might bring forth the trauma and spasms. Takeo listened to each and every one of Akihito's stories and remembered every detail. He truly cared for the boy. Ever since one year ago, he had become intrigued, but he never managed to find where Akihito was staying at that time. Who knew that a year later, the two of them would meet under the most unfortunate circumstances ever?

Akihito had finally gained weight. It was only six pounds, but compared to his weight when he first arrived, which was barely sixty pounds, it was a huge improvement. The boy's skin tone finally began to look a little healthier, some of the color has started to come back into his lips, and his arms and legs began to acquire mass. Whenever they got over one trail, Akihito would eat till excess, and later throw it all up. But seeing the starving kid eat like the gaki (hungry) spirit from one of the realms of Buddhism, he really didn't have the heart to stop him…even if more were coming out than going in.

The moon slowly fell back into the Earth and soon, the sun rose up once again. The planets continued to rotate as if it can't hear the cries of pain and suffering going around the Earth. Time is the best healer; however, time is the worst partner. It waits for nobody and it does not express sympathy for anybody. It just moves on, ignoring everything in its path. As the moon rose and the sun fell, as the moon fell and the sun rose, day and night became a battlefield as these five men and three women tried their best to pull this one boy's soul away from Satan's clutches. This battle was harder than any shootout and any war they have experienced. Killing is the simplest way, and the most humane way to end such misery, but Takeo didn't want that. He wanted the boy to come back. He was only fourteen years old; there was so much Akihito hasn't seen, and so much Akihito hasn't experienced.

Just a little more, and the sounds of distant gun fire will soon dissolve like water


End file.
